Travel Vlogger of the month – Heather Butler

“For as long as I can remember when I’ve been asked where is your dream destination? If you could go anywhere where would it be? I’ve always answered EVERYWHERE!”

Without further or due we are so excited to introduce our Vlogger of the month Heather Butler, AKA Chasing Everywhere. Heather chases her dreams all over the world, one country at a time. Heather loves going off the beaten path to discover interesting and exciting places to explore.

We decided to ask Heather seven carefully curated questions to find out exactly what Heather enjoyed most about her adventurous safari; 

1. How did you get into travel blogging/writing? 

I started travelling full time and working remotely to build my digital marketing agency, The Fairway Collective, back in 2017 and originally started recording because I wanted to remember every moment. 

_{Heather enjoying her Chobe Botswana Safari | Photo credits: Heather Butler}

My friends and family asked that if I was going to be recording experiences I put them online so they can see what I’m experiencing.

That’s when I started my YouTube channel, ChasingEverywhere. Suddenly I had 1000 followers, 2000, 3000 followers. So I stuck with it, creating videos of every experience, every city, every country.

2. What has been your most rewarding travel moment?

Watching the baby elephants play in the water in Chobe National Park was pure and so sweet. That memory will stay with me forever.

3. What makes travelling to Africa different to travelling anywhere else?

Africa is so authentic it’s insane. I can only speak to the African countries I’ve visited but the people are kind and happy and so excited to share their lives and experiences with you. 

_{Enjoying a Safari Game Drive | Photo credits: Heather Butler} 

The wildlife, the culture, the energy is just so different from anywhere else I’ve ever been. It’s a magical place.

4. What is your best travel tip you always give people when travelling to Africa?

Keep an open mind, traveling in Africa, or any different country or continent, is going to be jarring and uncomfortable at times.

_{Elephant Family spotting | Photo credits: Heather Butler} 

Things are done differently, there are different foods, cultural differences, and levels of comfort. It’s best to experience these differences without any preconceived notions. The differences are what makes a place unique and special and you’ll have a more fulfilling experience if you embrace it.

5. What made your Botswana experience different from other countries?

Exploring Chobe National Park. I’ve been on safari in other countries but Chobe is something special. We were able to camp inside the park and hear the animals throughout the night.

_{Elephant Family spotting | Photo credits: Heather Butler} 

We saw thousands of elephants, including newborn 2-day old calves playing in the water, a super pride of lions with cubs, and so much more! Hands down one of my favourite travel experiences ever.

6. What were your favourite lodges in Botswana?

We stayed at Jollyboys Backpackers hostel in Zambia and drove into Botswana, where we camped inside Chobe so I don’t have a favorite lodging inside Botswana unless you count camping in Chobe (which was absolutely amazing!).

_{Enjoying Victoria Falls | Photo credits: Heather Butler} 

7. If you could visit one more place in Africa, where would you go and why?

I’d love to visit Uganda and do a gorilla trek!

8. Have any mishaps ever happened to you on the road? What was the most notable?

Of course! What would travel be without a few mishaps? I’ve been robbed, I’ve gotten lost, I’ve gotten super sick, I’ve been stuck on the edge of a cliff in Albania… I think the most notable was when I was not able to leave Kenya and fly to South Africa because I had not received my yellow fever vaccine.

_{Heather enjoying her African Safari | Photo credits: Heather Butler} 

Every resource I checked prior to going to Kenya said I did not need the vaccine to go there, but not one document or article mentioned I would need it to leave!

_{Giraffes enjoying themselves | Photo Credits: Heather Butler} 

When I arrived at the airport at 2 am for my 6 am flight, I was quickly informed that I could not board my flight as I needed to be vaccinated.

Luckily the airport has a clinic on-site for this exact reason and I was able to get the vaccine, wait a while, and eventually fly to my destination. The thing with travel and mishaps, is they are going to happen, even with all of the research and preparation and vigilance, things happen and that’s ok.

For more information on Heather’s amazing travels, visit her youtube or Instagram account.

If this article has intrigued you to take the next step and plan your Botswana Safari, why not have a look at the 5 best Safari lodges in Botswana?